Expandable tables are well known in the art. Examples of such tables are disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 7,201,108; 6,742,461; 6,729,243; 6,715,429; 6,698,363; 6,666,151; 6,629,504; 6,443,074; 5,735,220; 4,878,439; 4,815,393; 4,494,466; 4,475,464; 3,033,629; 1,937,250; 1,778,666; 720,590; Des. 326,025; Des. 286,592; and EP 1 371 305 and EP 0 187 922 and JP 06-197814, all of which are incorporated herein by reference.
Prior configurations of expandable tables required the table leaves to be inserted at the ends of the table and/or between two separated portions of the table. The table leaves where generally stored at some location remote to the table or were folded under or stored under table top. As such, the leaf has to be moved and/or lifted by a user when inserting and removing the leaf in the table. Such moving and lifting can be inconvenient and difficult for many users. Many types of patio table include an umbrella opening for receiving the umbrella pole. When a leaf is inserted or removed from such types of tables, the umbrella must be removed from the table and then reinserted in the table. The removal and reinsertion of the umbrella can be very inconvenient and difficult for many users.
In view of the current state of expandable tables, there is a need for an expandable table that makes it simple to expand and contract the table. For expandable tables that are used with umbrellas, there is a need for an expandable table that can be expanded and contracted without having to remove the umbrella.